July 10, 2014

Ghana: American didn't have Ebola; body will be flown home

The body of the American expatriate at the centre of the Ebola virus scare is to be flown back to the United States of America (USA). The expatriate, who is said to have travelled to one of the infected countries in the sub-region, died on Monday, July 7, 2014.

The body is to be released to the American Embassy in Ghana. A source at the Ministry of Health (MoH), who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the four nurses who were also quarantined after they had come into contact with the American before his death were released on Tuesday evening.

No Ebola in Ghana

The release of the followed four tests conducted by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) which proved that the patient did not suffer from Ebola fever.

Although the American, who died at the Nyaho Medical Centre, on Sunday, July 6, 2014, presented symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic fever, all the test conducted on him proved that he did not have Ebola fever.

A statement on Monday, signed by the Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victoria Fummey, and made available to the Daily Graphic, said the expatriate was transferred to the centre by the West African Rescue Association (WARA).

As a precautionary measure, MOH requested the four nurses to be quarantined and placed more public health personnel at the clinic after supplying them with protective gowns.

The obvious alternative diagnoses would, I guess, be Marburg virus or Lassa fever—or even severe dengue. It's surprising that the Ghanaians didn't report tests for other hemorrhagic diseases.

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The body of the American expatriate at the centre of the Ebola virus scare is to be flown back to the United States of America (USA). The expatriate, who is said to have travelled to one of the infected countries in the sub-region, died on Monday, July 7, 2014.

The body is to be released to the American Embassy in Ghana. A source at the Ministry of Health (MoH), who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the four nurses who were also quarantined after they had come into contact with the American before his death were released on Tuesday evening.

No Ebola in Ghana

The release of the followed four tests conducted by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) which proved that the patient did not suffer from Ebola fever.

Although the American, who died at the Nyaho Medical Centre, on Sunday, July 6, 2014, presented symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic fever, all the test conducted on him proved that he did not have Ebola fever.

A statement on Monday, signed by the Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victoria Fummey, and made available to the Daily Graphic, said the expatriate was transferred to the centre by the West African Rescue Association (WARA).

As a precautionary measure, MOH requested the four nurses to be quarantined and placed more public health personnel at the clinic after supplying them with protective gowns.

The obvious alternative diagnoses would, I guess, be Marburg virus or Lassa fever—or even severe dengue. It's surprising that the Ghanaians didn't report tests for other hemorrhagic diseases.